savedtheworld | IC Contact [Drift Fleet]

[ wow, katara is not entirely convinced, but she tries not to let the worry bleed through her expression too much. ]

What's the kitchen like on your ship? Do you want to have lunch? We should probably catch up.

[ it feels like it's been a year and some change since she's seen him - and if you count paradisa, it has. ]

Lunch. Lunch? I'd love lunch! A-and catching up. They're both great things! [It feels like a long enough time when he hasn't physically been near her since he left Ember Island with the lion turtle.]

Um... I think our kitchen's a Rank I!

Hmm. Ours is rank three... are you comfortable piloting a shuttle here?

That must be some kitchen! I never tried piloting one of those shuttle things before, but I feel like I can handle it!

[He smiles cheekily.]

It won't be as fun as riding a hog monkey, but it'll probably smell a lot nicer!

You're not wrong.

[ but KATARA CAN'T REALLY SAY that she's ever loved the smell of hog monkeys, okay. she does look briefly nervous, though. ]

And, um - we have a lot of stuff to catch up on, okay? So make sure your schedule's clear.

[Stuff... He doesn't know why that makes him feel nervous. But he gives some soft nods.]

Sounds really important. But don't worry... I don't think I've got anything important to do today! So... I'll head on over soon!

[ she's nervous, too, even though she doesn't know why. paradisa just felt like such an important part of her now: sharing that with him is a little scary. ]

Just message me when you get here. I'll be waiting, Aang.

[It's the kind of thing that can be hard to feel paradistant from.]

Okay. [He smiles softly.] Just take it easy.... It won't be long! I'll see ya, Katara.

[Once he ends the transmission, his smile gives way to pensiveness. What could she want to talk about... what happened at Ember Island? Something from the final battles? Or something that had happened in space?

He tosses over the possibilities as he readies the shuttle to head out, but he manages to narrow his focus to one thing: he's going to finally see Katara again, in person.

And so... the shuttle does its thing, and Aang is soon sending that message to her.]

[ and katara will be going to meet him where the shuttle lands. prepare yourself, aang: there is one (1) waterbender flinging herself at you for an incredibly tight hug. ]

[He tried to prepare himself. He truly did. But there is no mortal method of preparing one's self for a Katara hug of this magnitude. All he can do is to try to cope with the incredible warmth, such a stark contrast from how cold it can feel in the shuttle, while smiling and doing his best to wrap his own stringy monk arms back around her.]

[ she isn't tearbending, but... it takes an effort. she hadn't seen him once in her time at the castle - for over a year, and she was feeling the weight of that now. it felt like it had been so long. so she lingers in the hug, ducking her head slightly and admitting: ]

I've missed you, Aang. A lot.

[There does seem to be an unexpected gravity to it. He could say that he missed her, too... he hasn't seen her in person since they debated Ozai's fate on Ember Island, and he's missed seeing her in person since he was brought to space... but it doesn't feel the same as what Katara's saying.

He gives a soft, confused chuckle as he tries to glance towards her face from within the grip of the hug.]

I- I missed you too, Katara. But at least... it hasn't been that long. Right?

[ she pulls back from the hug, wondering how much detail she should launch into immediately, before she reaches for his hand and moves to lead him to the kitchen. ]

I haven't been here very long, no... but I was somewhere else before I was here, too. Somewhere not home. It was - for a little over a year, actually.

[ might as well just... get it all out there at once. and maybe finally acknowledge to herself that this is where some of the nervousness is from: ]

But if I act weird, or too different, just tell me, okay?

[ she's walking as she speaks, not looking at him, though she doesn't release his hand. ]

[He grasps her hand with a soft touch and follows her movements, grasping on as she speaks. Her words do fill him with visible concern and worry.]

O-over a year? What? But... [Sokka had already explained to him how different times worked- and he had been stuck here for a half a year. But Katara being gone for over a year and in some other place, it was a whole new level of unsettling.

After he leaves that hanging for a moment, he shakes his head in resignation.]

I'm sorry, Katara. I had no idea... [He gives her hand a squeeze.] I- I can tell you. But I don't wanna tell you how to act. I just wanna... help.

[ she glances back at him, pausing briefly as she does, and her expressions soften into something visibly relieved. she'd been nervous, but maybe there was no reason to be. ]

Aang-

[ it was aang. of course there was no reason to be. he wouldn't decide to trash their friendship because maybe she'd changed a little. ]

So... tell me everything you know about home. [ aka 'what is your canon point, friend.' ]

Edited 2015-04-07 14:32 (UTC)

[Aang can't even imagine something that would get him to truly turn away from Katara. Hearing about that year in another place only makes him confused and concerned. Whatever happened, he knows it can't have been easy to be separated from her home.

It does take him a moment to get what she means by her question. He blinks and then he goes on thoughtfully.]

Well... the things about home is... It's that the war's over. I did it, Katara. I beat the fire lord and took his bending away. Then I saw Sokka and Toph and Suki again, and Sokka called him the loser lord... [He pauses and scrunches up his face in thought.]

I don't think I remember much after that.

Good.

[ she seems relieved, fingers squeezing his again before she lets him go and steps into the kitchen. she's come a long way from setting the stove on fire her first week into paradisa. :|b ]

That's close to the last thing I remember, too. Kind of funny how it kind of clumps people together, huh?

[He chuckles meekly as he looks around the kitchen.]

Yeah... I guess so! It's definitely really clumpy.

So you're from the same time too. Did everything go okay with you? A-after we last saw each other... [He saw Sokka and co. after the battle, but he wasn't sure what happened with Katara.]

Huh? Oh- yeah. [ she's messing with some of the protein dispensers and realizes how distracted she sounds a little after the fact, before she shakes her head to turn back to look at him. ] I mean, yeah- of course. Zuko and I stopped Azula. We're both okay.

[ how is it possible for something to feel so recent and so far away at the same time? katara is moving a little too quickly, talking a little too fast, a veritable ball of nervous energy despite having relaxed some already. ]

[She does seem kind of all over the place... Aang tries to offer a supportive smile.]

Hey... There's no need to rush, Katara. We've got plenty of time.

So you and Zuko beat Azula? [He claps his hands proudly.] That's great! I'm really glad that you're okay and she's been dealt with.

I know, it just feels like - I don't know. I've got a lot to catch up on.

[ but she does soften and smile at that. ]

It was tough, but we did it. And we were really proud of how you dealt with Ozai, too.

But I haven't been here for long, and we're from the same time. I don't think there's much for you to catch up on... so just relax.

[His smile grows warmer, a little flustered at her expression of pride.]

Y-you were proud? Thank you. I... I tried what felt like the right away for me and hoped for the best. I'm really proud of what you did, too.

I'm trying. Honest. I'll get there, I promise.

[ well, she can at least get them both water, and so she does that as she settles at the table. ]

But... I'm glad that you followed your heart.

[He sits down as well as he sips from his glass of water.]

It's okay... take your time! [He hope she can calm down for her own sake more than anything.]

Thanks again. I guess that my heart get some really neat ideas sometimes!

[ she will! eventually. and she takes a breath, folding her arms on the table and watching him. ]

Yeah, I think so, too.

[ and now for the awkward water sipping. ]

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